In the manufacture of electrical motors, appliances, and other devices having electrical controls, it is common practice to provide connectors on the wires extending through and from the device to make the required connections for the circuitry. When the wires must extend through a panel or housing, it is customary to use a connector of the type which can be mounted in an opening in the panel so that during the manufacturing process, it is merely necessary to install the panel mounted connector in the panel and thereafter mate a complementary connector to the panel mounted connector in order to complete the electrical connections to the control circuits and the power circuits for the device.
There are a wide veriety of connectors available which are intended for mounting in panels; see for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,366,729, 3,353,143, and 2,891,103. Connectors of the general type shown in these prior art patents are usually provided with latch arms or other retaining means for latching the connector housing to the panel. To assemble the connector to the panel, it is merely necessary to pass the connector through a panel opening until the latch arms extend through the opening and latch the connector housing to the panel.
Presently available panel mounted connectors, such as those shown in the above identified U.S. patents, are satisfactory for most circumstances, however, under some conditions, they are not entirely suitable and, in fact, they cannot be used at all in some instances. Connectors of the types described above cannot be assembled to a panel under confined conditions, that is, where there is very little clearance in the vicinity of the panel opening for manipulation and handling of the connector by the technician performing the assembly operation. Furthermore, the presence of the latch arms on the connector is sometimes objectionable, since the connector can be easily removed from the panel by flexing the latch arms inwardly towards the connector housing. Under some circumstances, it is highly desirable to discourage removal of the connector housing from the panel for safety reasons and to discourage tampering with the equipment on which the connector is used.
The present invention is directed to the achievement of a connector which can be used to connect the ends of the windings of a motor to insulated conductors which extend to the control and power circuits for the motor. The connector used for this purpose must be usable under confined conditions, for the reason that the windings of an electric motor are in close proximity to the motor housing or shell. Furthermore, a connector suitable for an electric motor should be such that once installed, it can be removed only by the deliberate actions of a qualified technician and cannot be disturbed by tampering on the part of a person who could expose himself to electrical shock.
A connector in accordance with the present invention is installed in a panel opening having an enlarged connector assembly portion and an adjoining connector retaining portion. The connector retaining portion conforms in its outline to the cross-section of the connector housing and the housing is provided with slots on its endwalls which are dimensioned to receive edge portions of the panel. A connector is assembled to the panel by passing the housing through the assembly portion of the opening and then moving the housing laterally into the retaining portion. A closure flap is provided on the housing which completely covers the connector assembly portion of the opening. The closure flap extends into the opening and thereby prevents removal of the housing from the panel under any circumstances other than by a qualified technician.